Muscle mass loss measured with portable ultrasound in hospitalized older adults: The ECOSARC study.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to analyze the evolution of muscle of the Quadriceps Rectus Femoris (QRF) between admission and discharge, in older adults hospitalized with an acute medical disease in Acute Geriatric Units (AGUs). DESIGN: Prospective multicentric observational cohort study. SETTING: Seven AGUs from University Hospitals in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized adults ≥ 70 years old, able to ambulate and without severe dementia. MEASUREMENTS: Ultrasound measurements of QRF were acquired at 2/3 distal between anterior-superior iliac spine and patella in both legs by trained Geriatricians. Ultrasound Chison model ECO2 was used. QRF area, thickness, edema, echogenicity, and fasciculations were measured. RESULTS: From the complete sample (n = 143), in 45 (31.5%) participants, ultrasound images were classified as non-valid by an expert radiologist. Mean age was 87.8 (SD 5.4). Mean hospital stay 7.6 days (SD 4.3). From those with valid images, 36 (49.3%), 2 (2.7%), and 35 (47.9%) presented a decrease, equal values, or an increase in QRF area from baseline to discharge, respectively, and 37 (50.0%), 2 (2.7%), and 35 (47.3%) presented a decrease, equal values, or an increase in QRF thickness, respectively. 26 (35.6%) presented a decrease in more than 0.2 cm2 of QRF area, and 23 (31.1%) a decrease in more than 0.1 cm of QRF thickness. Only 4 (5.4%) patients presented new edema, while 13 (17.6%) worsened echogenicity. CONCLUSION: One third of older adults develop significant muscle loss during a hospitalization for acute medical diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05113758.

"SARCOPENIA MEASURED BY ULTRASOUND IN HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS" (ECOSARC): multi-centre, prospective observational study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of muscle mass and function, and thereafter, screening and diagnosis of sarcopenia, is a challenge and a need in hospitalized older adults. However, it is difficult in complex real-world old patients, because usually they are unable to collaborate with clinical, functional, and imaging testing. Ultrasound measurement of quadriceps rectus femoris (QRF) provides a non-invasive, real-time assessment of muscle quantity and quality, and is highly acceptable to participants with excellent inter-rater and intra-rater variability. However, normative data, protocol standardization, and association with longitudinal outcomes, needs further research and consensus. METHODS: Prospective exploratory multicenter study in older adults admitted to Acute Geriatric Units (AGUs) for medical reasons. 157 subjects from 7 AGUs of Spain were recruited between May 2019 and January 2022. Muscle ultrasound measurements of the anterior vastus of the QRF were acquired on admission and on discharge, using a previously validated protocol, using a Chieson model ECO2 ultrasound system (Chieson Medical Technologies, Co. Ltd, Wimxu District Wuxi, Jiangsu, China). Measurements included the cross-sectional area, muscle thickness in longitudinal view, intramuscular central tendon thickness, echogenicity, and the presence or absence of edema and fasciculations. Functional, nutritional, and DXA measurements were provided. Clinical follow-up was completed at discharge, and 30 and 90 days after discharge. Variations between hospital admission and discharge ultrasound values, and the relationship with clinical variables, will be analyzed using paired t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, or Mc Nemar chi-square tests when necessary. Prevalence of sarcopenia will be calculated, as well as sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound measurements to determine sarcopenia. Kappa analysis will be used to analyze the concordance between measurements, and sensitivity analysis will be conducted for each participating center. DISCUSSION: The results obtained will be of great interest to the scientific geriatric community to assess the utility and validity of ultrasound measurements for the detection and follow-up of sarcopenia in hospitalized older adults, and its association with adverse outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05113758. Registration date: November 9th 2021. Retrospectively registered.

Prehabilitation and perioperative geriatric care in patients aged over 80 years with colorectal cancer: Results of a cross-speciality geriatrics program.

OBJECTIVES: To describe a perioperative cross-speciality geriatrics program for patients aged >80 years with colorectal cancer (CRC), aimed to detect and manage frailty and to understand its influence on clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged >80 years with CRC and proposed for surgery were included from October 2018 to March 2020. Comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGA) were performed. Patients were classified according to the estimated physiological reserve, from fit, frail patients and even the disabled: CGA-1, CGA-2, CGA-3, and CGA-4. Individualised treatment was adapted to each patient's situation. Patients who underwent surgery were followed up by a geriatrician. The presence of complications, length of stay, hospital readmissions at 30 days, and short- and long-term mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included. The mean age was 84.5 ± 4.5 years. 55.4% patients were classified as CGA-1, 24.3% as CGA-2, 16.2% as CGA-3, and 4.1% as CGA-4. No CGA-4 patient was operated on. Frail (CGA-2 and CGA-3) patients had higher medical complications (50% vs 21.2%, p < 0.05) and delirium (30% vs 9.1%, p < 0.05) than fit patients (CGA-1). They also had higher rates of surgical complications (20% vs 15.2%), longer hospital stay (10 ± 6.2 vs 8.4 ± 4.2 days), 30-day readmissions (15% vs 6.3%), and mortality at six (10% vs 3%) and twelve months (20% vs 6.1%), although it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: CGA and prehabilitation can classify patients according to their frailty status, support clinicians in decision-making to achieve tailored treatment, and detect clinical conditions for intervention in multiple domains of health in the perioperative period.

A Rare Disease Presenting Postpartum: Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy.

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a rare but highly fatal disease affecting women most frequently during the third trimester of pregnancy or in the postpartum period. It is considered a diagnosis of exclusion and requires a timely diagnosis to avoid maternal mortality. We present the case of a 33-year-old primigravida who required an emergency cesarean section due to fetal bradycardia. On postoperative day one, the patient was noted jaundiced, oliguric, and hypoglycemic. Laboratory tests revealed important hepatic dysfunction, coagulopathy, and renal failure. She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with the suspicion of acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Plasma exchange was started on postoperative day 5 with major clinical and laboratory improvement. A transjugular hepatic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The patient had satisfactory evolution and was discharged 15 days after delivery. Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a highly morbid disease that needs a high index of suspicion to be diagnosed. Admission to an Intensive Care Unit to ensure maximum supportive care is mandatory in this disease.

Functional, cognitive, and nutritional decline in 435 elderly nursing home residents after the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: Many institutionalized older people have died during the first wave of COVID-19. Other related consequences have not yet been described objectively. The aim of this study was to compare functional, cognitive, and nutritional status before and after the first wave among nursing home residents, in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Older adults institutionalized in four nursing homes were assessed from May to June 2020, by a geriatric multidisciplinary team in collaboration with the nursing homes staff. Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed including functional, cognitive, and nutritional variables before and after the first wave of the pandemic. Data from residents with positive results for microbiological testing for SARS-CoV-2 were compared with those who did not. RESULTS: 435 nursing home residents were included. The median age was 86.77 ± 8.5 years, 78.4% were women. 190 (43.9%) tested positive for coronavirus. Functional decline after the first wave was detected in 20.2% according to the Barthel Index and in 18.5% according to functional ambulation categories, p < 0.001. Cognitive status worsened by 22 and 25.9% according to the global deterioration scale (p < 0.001) and Lobo's Mini-Examen Cognoscitivo (p 0.01), respectively. Onset of depressive symptoms was found in 48% (p < 0.001). The prevalence of malnutrition increased by 36.8 and 38.4% lost weight. When comparing the functional, cognitive, and nutritional decline between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients no clinical or statistically significant differences were found except for the presence of prior malnutrition, higher in the COVID-19 group. CONCLUSION: We observed a significative functional, cognitive, and nutritional decline in institutionalized elderly after the first wave of COVID-19. These results may be caused by the lockdown itself, since no differences have been found between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. According to these results, interventions are necessary during social isolation or confinement to prevent systemic decline in the elderly.

Handgrip strength predicts 1-year functional recovery and mortality in hip fracture patients.

OBJECTIVES: Muscle strength is a possible predictor of adverse events. It could have prognostic value in patients with hip fracture (HF). The aim of this study was to determine if handgrip strength is associated with functional impairment, readmissions, and mortality at one year in elderly patients with HF. DESIGN: A prospective observational study was carried out. It included a cohort of patients aged 65 years or older with a diagnosis of fragility HF, consecutively from January 2013 to February 2014 and seen in follow-up at one year. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v21 software. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five hundred and nine patients with a mean age of 85.4 ± 0.3 years were included, of whom 403 (79.2 %) were women. Clinical and functional outcomes, laboratory parameters and anthropometric measurements were collected. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 339 (66.6 %) had reduced handgrip strength, and these patients were older, more frequently institutionalized, had poorer functional and cognitive status, higher comorbidity, higher surgical risk, lower body mass index and a greater intra-hospital mortality (all p < 0.01). At one year, patients with lower handgrip strength had a major change in their ability to walk (32.7 % vs. 10.9 %, p < 0.001) and a higher mortality rate (30.4 % vs. 8.8 %, p < 0.001). However, in patients over 91 years of age, there was no association between lower handgrip strength and change in ability to walk. There were no differences in the number of readmissions. CONCLUSION: Low handgrip strength in elderly patients with HF predicts greater functional disability and higher long-term mortality.

Impacto de la hospitalización en pacientes centenarios ingresados por enfermedad aguda. Descripción de una serie de 165 casos y comparación con la literatura / Impact of hospital admission on centenarians admitted due to an acute illness. A description of a series of 165 cases and comparison with the literature

Introducción: El envejecimiento de la población está suponiendo un aumento de pacientes centenarios, cuyas características podrían diferenciarse de las de los pacientes de menor edad. Este estudio se realizó para conocer el impacto de la hospitalización en los pacientes de 100 o más años ingresados por enfermedad aguda. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo que incluyó a los pacientes con edad ≥ 100 años atendidos por el Servicio de Geriatría (SG) de un hospital universitario de tercer nivel desde 1995 hasta 2016. Se consultaron las bases de datos clínico-administrativas del SG, que incluían datos demográficos, clínicos, funcionales, cognitivos y administrativos. Se incluyó a pacientes atendidos en la Unidad Geriátrica de Agudos (UGA), en la Unidad de Ortogeriatría y como Interconsultas. Resultados: Se estudió a 165 pacientes, de 101,6 +/- 1,7 años de edad media +/- desviación estándar (rango 100-109), de los que 140 (85%) fueron mujeres. La estancia media fue de 10,3 +/- 7,4 días. El motivo de ingreso más frecuente en la UGA fueron las infecciones respiratorias (41%). La mortalidad global fue del 16%, pero en la UGA aumentó al 31%. La incapacidad funcional moderada-grave aumentó del 51% basal al 96% al alta y la incapacidad para la deambulación aumentó del 52% basal al 99% al alta. El porcentaje de pacientes residentes en domicilio disminuyó del 71 al 29% al alta. Conclusiones: En los pacientes centenarios, la hospitalización provoca una tasa elevada de mortalidad, un deterioro importante en su situación funcional y una reducción de la probabilidad de volver a su domicilio previo

Introduction: The number of centenarians is increasing with the aging of the Spanish population. This age group might present different clinical features from younger groups. This study was carried out to determine the impact hospital admission on centenarians with an acute disease. Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted that included patients ≥100 years-old admitted from 1995 to 2016 to a third level university hospital and attended by the Geriatrics department in the acute ward, the Orthogeriatric ward, and by request. An analysis was made using the clinical-administrative databases containing information about the demographics, clinical, functional and cognitive features, length of hospital length, as well as discharge destination. Results: The study included 165 patients with a mean age of 101.6 +/- 1.7 (range 100-109) years, of whom 140 (85%) were female. The mean hospital stay was 10.3 +/- 7.4 days. Respiratory infections (41%) were the most common cause of admission to the Acute Geriatric Unit (AGU). The overall in-hospital mortality was 16%, but mortality in AGU reached up to 31%. There was an increase on moderate-severe functional disability (51% to 96%), and on the inability to walk independently (52% to 99%) from baseline to admission. There was a reduction in people living in their own home from 71% prior to admission to 29% at hospital discharge. Conclusions: Centenarians who required hospital admission showed a high rate of mortality, a significant deterioration in their functional capacity, and a decrease in their chances of going back to their own home at discharge

[Impact of hospital admission on centenarians admitted due to an acute illness. A description of a series of 165 cases and comparison with the literature]. / Impacto de la hospitalización en pacientes centenarios ingresados por enfermedad aguda. Descripción de una serie de 165 casos y comparación con la literatura.

INTRODUCTION: The number of centenarians is increasing with the aging of the Spanish population. This age group might present different clinical features from younger groups. This study was carried out to determine the impact hospital admission on centenarians with an acute disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted that included patients ≥100 years-old admitted from 1995 to 2016 to a third level university hospital and attended by the Geriatrics department in the acute ward, the Orthogeriatric ward, and by request. An analysis was made using the clinical-administrative databases containing information about the demographics, clinical, functional and cognitive features, length of hospital length, as well as discharge destination. RESULTS: The study included 165 patients with a mean age of 101.6 ± 1.7 (range 100-109) years, of whom 140 (85%) were female. The mean hospital stay was 10.3 ± 7.4 days. Respiratory infections (41%) were the most common cause of admission to the Acute Geriatric Unit (AGU). The overall in-hospital mortality was 16%, but mortality in AGU reached up to 31%. There was an increase on moderate-severe functional disability (51% to 96%), and on the inability to walk independently (52% to 99%) from baseline to admission. There was a reduction in people living in their own home from 71% prior to admission to 29% at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Centenarians who required hospital admission showed a high rate of mortality, a significant deterioration in their functional capacity, and a decrease in their chances of going back to their own home at discharge.

Bezoar esofágico en paciente con espasmo esofágico difuso / Esophageal bezoar in a patient with a diffuse esophageal spasm

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Rabdomiólisis de inicio precoz e insuficiencia renal aguda asociadas a daptomicina. Caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Early onset rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure associated with the administration of daptomycin. A Case report and literature review

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Cambios en la percepción de los alumnos de medicina sobre la geriatría tras una rotación clínica docente / Changes in the perception of medical students towards Geriatrics after a clinical-teaching rotation

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